Learn to crochet

and contribute to an EMF community blanket

Eli Chadwick (he/him and they/them)

31 May 2023

Introduction

About Me

  • Crochet since 2018
  • Loom knitting since 2021
  • I have taught people to use Unix and Git… but I have not taught people how to crochet
  • I will probably make mistakes or not explain things well
  • Fortunately, I have help!

Workshop Objectives

  • Be comfortable handling your hook and yarn and forming basic stitches
  • Know how to follow a crochet pattern
  • Feel confident enough to continue practicing on your own
  • Contribute to the community blanket!

Yarn, Hooks, And Other Materials

Yarn

Ball of yarn with label showing brand and weight

Weight

Table of yarn weights. The yarn in this workshop is category 5, aka bulky or chunky.

Fibre and dye lot

Zoomed yarn label showing the fibre is 100% acrylic, the shade is HEC08 GREEN, and the dye lot is 80.

Exact colour may vary between balls of same shade - if buying lots of balls of the same color, try to match the dye lot

We’ll talk more about fibre choices later

Gauge and care instructions

Zoomed yarn label showing that 6mm hooks/needles should be used, the gauge is 14 sts/20 rows for a 10x10 cms square, and the yarn should be washed gently and cool.

It’s a good idea to keep labels so you know how to care for your projects

Hooks

Eli's collection of crochet hooks, ranging from 3 mm to 20 mm.

Hooks are cheap (~£2 each) and can be bought individually or in sets

Hook anatomy

Anatomy of a crochet hook. The long part is called the shaft and may have a grip or thumb rest. The hook part is called the head, and features a throat which is a narrow straight part, a point or tip where the hook turns back on itself, a lip which juts backwards, and a bowl which is the inside of the lip and throat.

Some of our hooks have ergonomic handles, some do not - please swap if the one you have isn’t working for you

Hook size

The size indicator at the end of a hook shaft furthest from the head. This one reads USJ10/6.00mm.

Your hook size should match your yarn label (in most cases)

Other materials

  • tape measure/ruler
  • yarn needle aka darning needle aka tapestry needle - we’ll use this at the end
  • stitch markers - optional, but useful for some patterns
  • scissors

Time to start crocheting!

Changing colour

Following a pattern

Following a pattern

Most patterns are repetitive – once you have done a couple of repeats, they become much easier!

Almost all patterns use shorthand to keep instructions concise, for example:

  • ch 10 = make 10 chain stitches
  • 1 dc in next st = make one double crochet in the next stitch from the row below

Some patterns will invent their own shorthand for advanced stitches or repeats, but they will always explain them in full first.

A note on stitch terminology

US Crochet Term UK Crochet Term
yarn over (yo) yarn over hook (yoh)
stitch (st) stitch (st)
chain (ch) chain (ch)
slip stitch (sl st or ss) slip stitch (sl st or ss)
single crochet (sc) double crochet (dc)
half double crochet (hdc) half treble (htr)
double crochet (dc) treble (tr)
triple/treble crochet (tr) double treble (dtr)

Most patterns online use US terms (because there are more Americans), so we’re also using US terms in this workshop

Tips for finding patterns online

There are many crochet blogs out there, and also sites like Ravelry [https://www.ravelry.com]

BEWARE CHATGPT: LLMs do not know how to write sensible crochet patterns, but they can write something that looks like a real crochet pattern to the untrained eye.

  • Is it clear whether the patterns uses US or UK terms?
  • Is there guidance on yarn choice and gauge?
  • Are there step by step pictures and/or a video that match what the pattern claims to be?
  • Read through the pattern before starting – can you visualize how it comes together?

Adding your square to the blanket

Wrap-up

Fibre choices

Fibre attributes. Synthetic is cheap, versatile, but heat sensitive. Wool is good for cold weather clothing, but felts and must be handwashed. Bamboo is sustainable and soft, but weak when wet. Cotton is strong and good for clothes, but easily distorted and can be rough. Linen is good for warm weather clothing, but is expensive and wrinkles easily.

Tekhnē-cal Village

Home to the blanket!

Feel free to visit - you can work on projects (including blanket squares) and/or pick up some yarn from the stash swap

Camping H (near Stage A)

Please be quiet if visiting at night - DO NOT WAKE THE BABY

Thank you for coming!